


Leaving

by DecemberKat



Series: SteelAtom [1]
Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Communication, Depression, Drunkenness, Fluff, Gen, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Morning After
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-09
Updated: 2016-11-13
Packaged: 2018-08-30 01:10:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8512975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DecemberKat/pseuds/DecemberKat
Summary: With the loss of his ATOM suit, Ray's long buried emotions come bubbling to the surface. Nate helps him through some of it.





	1. Chapter 1

In his down time Nate's taken to exploring the Waverider, all its hidden nooks and crannies, hallways tucked in a back corner leading places he wouldn't expect, like the mess hall or Ray's workshop, which is were Nate was now. He'd only been there a few seconds when he heard a voice coming from behind him.  
“What're you doing here?” Nate spun around to see a figure tucked up in one of the back corners, a clear bottle of what smelled like vodka grasped loosely in his long fingers.  
“I could say the same thing about you, Ray,” Nate said. “It's late.” Ray shrugged and thunked his head back against the wall.  
“Time travel,” he slurred. “Doesn't... doesn't matter what... what time I...” he trailed off and finished off what little alcohol was in the bottle. “Doesn't matter,” he repeated. “I don't... I don't matter.” Nate didn't know what to say to that. Instead he walked over to the scientist and took the empty bottle out of his hand, setting it on a table nearby.  
“C'mon,” he said, helping the other man to his feet. “You know that's not true. Mick would've died if you hadn't made the vaccine! You saved his life.” Ray shrugged, a tall order for a man who was half leaning on his teammate.  
“Yeah. Doesn't matter, though. If I had my suit still he wouldn't've gotten bitten.” Nate sighed and lifted Ray up in a bridal carry, which made the scientist laugh suddenly, then groan and droop his head.  
“Hey, if you feel like you're gonna puke, just tell me, Big Guy,” he said evenly. “Let's get you to bed.”  
“Have to buy me dinner first.” Ray joked. Nate felt his cheeks flush at the implication. Of course he'd noticed Ray like that, and it wasn't like Nate hadn't thought about asking the scientist out once or twice since he'd joined this madcap adventure, but Ray was, or so he'd thought, straight as an arrow, no chance at anything beyond friendship and teammate camaraderie.  
“Maybe later, Ray,” Nate said as they arrived outside the other man's bedroom door. “Right, I'm gonna set you down, and make sure you get to bed okay.” The scientist nodded and wobbled through the open door. Nate followed, trying to steady him so he could at least get to him bed. That turned out to be a mistake when the drunken scientist grabbed the front of his shirt and sloppily pulled the historian into an open-mouthed kiss. Nate felt himself stop breathing for a moment before regaining his faculties and breaking away, leaving Ray wobbling on the bed with a pleading, empty look in his eyes. It broke Nate's heart to see such a normally chipper man seem so lost.  
“Ray...” Nate began.  
“'S'okay,” the genius said quietly. “Everybody leaves me, in the end. Felicity. Lenny. Kendra. Anna,” Ray's voice cracked on the last name, leaking a kind of unbearable sadness that matched the exhausted, heart-broken look in his eyes. “I'm everyone's second choice, never first.”  
“Hey,” Nate said softly. At any other time, he'd've been more than happy to try to kiss the tears away from the taller man's handsome face, make him feel loved and wanted. But right now, he was in no shape for anything other than sleep. Whatever potential they had together could wait until the morning. “It's going to be okay. Here,” He helped Ray take off just enough to be more comfortable under the covers, then tucked the taller man in like a child. “Sleep it off. I'll have Gideon keep an eye on you and we can talk about things in the morning.” Ray nodded, sniffling. After a moment, Nate leaned over and planted a soft kiss on Ray's forehead. This seemed to mollify him, and soon he was snoring, fast asleep under his old dark green comforter.  
Nate sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He walked over to the small bathroom off the side of the bedroom and poured a glass of water and set it on the scientist's nightstand. One last look around and Nate was outside in the hall, walking tiredly towards his own room.  
The morning would be difficult, but it would be, and if Ray remembered anything from that night, Nate's world would change even more than it already had.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You asked for it...

The next morning Ray woke up with a splitting headache and a mouthful of cotton. He tried to raise his head up off the pillow, only to be hit with a lightning bolt of pain up and down his neck. Wincing, he reached over to the side table and gulped down the glass of water Nate had left on his bedside table. He took a moment to stare at the glass uncomprehendingly before being struck by the events of the night before.  
“Shit.” he whispered. He crawled agonizingly out of bed and fumbled through his nightstand drawer for the bottle of painkillers he kept in there. He swallowed a few with the last few drops of water in the glass and tugged on a pair of sweatpants.  
When he got to the kitchen he got a pot of coffee going and grabbed the plate of scrambled eggs from what he’d dubbed the replicator with a quiet, mumbled thanks. They were gone in a matter of minutes and Ray had just gotten up to take care of his plate when he noticed Nate standing in the doorway to the mess hall.  
“Good morning,” Ray said blankly. “Um… I made coffee…?” He pointed awkwardly towards the now-full pot on the counter. Nate paused for a moment, then walked in and poured himself a cup. He sat down next to where Ray had just vacated. The taller man sat back down, setting the plate on the counter next to the sink. “I… guess you want to talk about… last night?”  
“I-I-I don’t know how much you remember, I mean… you were--”  
“I was pretty drunk, yeah, but yeah, I… remember most of it. I mean, I don’t want to pressure you into anything, I mean, it doesn’t have to mean anything… cause I am all about consent--”  
“Ray,” Nate interrupted. “I-it’s okay, it’s fine. Um…” he set down his mug and smiled. “I think I would… like it to mean something.” Ray’s eyes bugged out as he choked on his mouthful of coffee and grabbed a napkin to clean himself off.  
“You would?” he squeaked. “I mean--”  
“Yeah,” Nate said, leaning in. “I do,” After a second, Ray closed the gap and very gently pressed his lips to Nate’s own. They broke apart after what seemed like an eternity. “I’m not breakable.” Nate said, smiling.  
“I know,” Ray said. “I just…” He gulped nervously. “My last few relationships… didn’t end well. I had a fiance who… who died in the, um… the attempted takeover a few years ago, two girlfriends that… that left me for someone else, and Len…” Nate wrapped a comforting arm around Ray.  
“I know,” Nate said. “Then I guess you should know that I haven’t… had a lot of luck in the relationship department either. I’ve had… a couple of boyfriends cheat on me, some… pretty toxic relationships.” Ray nodded and gave the smaller man a peck on the cheek.  
“We’ll make this work. Somehow.” Nate smiled and leaned in closer.  
“I know, but first, I think maybe we should get rid of our audience first.” Ray’s eyes got wider and he poked his head up to look over Nate’s head. He saw a flash of leather and the slightest glimmer of blonde hair as Sara and Amaya dashed out into the hallway, trailing conspiratorial giggles after them. Nate laughed and leaned in to kiss Ray again, more deeply than the last.  
They were going to be alright, Ray thought. As long as they had each other.

**Author's Note:**

> Rarepair hell here I come.


End file.
